


we have lost contact with reality (I have lost my mind in the process) (Let Down Your Hair)

by MadHare0512



Series: fantasy seems to have become reality (love is the only reality and it is not a mere sentiment) [7]
Category: Grimm (TV)
Genre: Abduction, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Because maybe his mother didn't want him to know, Canon-Typical Violence, Culture, Drugs, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Forests, Graphic Description, Guns, Gunshot Wounds, Hiking, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Kidnapping, M/M, Medicine, Multi, Nick is omnilinguistic, Nicknames, Police Procedural, Protective Monroe (Grimm), The Author Regrets Nothing, Timeline What Timeline, Tracking, altered timeline, and said "just in case", but his aunt was smarter than that, but just in case, not like a lot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:20:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27637435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadHare0512/pseuds/MadHare0512
Summary: When a baby can no longer find their mother, they will often cry until they are found. When they cry, everyone around them is alerted to their distress and some will often try to help. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn't. Sometimes it's the ones that don't that are more dangerous.When a child looks up to find that they are lost, they will cry until they are found again. The child's parents will sweep them up and hold them close, apologizing the whole time for simple mistakes. Most parents wouldn't let the child out of their sight again or would worry continuously for the next week.Most children are fine again within the next hour.But what becomes of those who are never found at all?"The enchantress was so hard-hearted that she banished the poor girl to a wilderness, where she had to live in a miserable, wretched state."
Relationships: Adalind Schade/Juliette Silverton, Hank Griffin & Drew Wu, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Nick Burkhardt/Monroe, Nick Burkhardt/Rosalee Calvert, Nick Burkhardt/Rosalee Calvert/Monroe, Rosalee Calvert & Juliette Silverton, Rosalee Calvert/Monroe
Series: fantasy seems to have become reality (love is the only reality and it is not a mere sentiment) [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1617997
Kudos: 20





	we have lost contact with reality (I have lost my mind in the process) (Let Down Your Hair)

we have lost contact with reality (I have lost my mind in the process)  
(Let Down Your Hair)

By: AndiKaneUnderwood

**AU: Canon Divergence, Altered Timeline**

When a baby can no longer find their mother, they will often cry until they are found. When they cry, everyone around them is alerted to their distress and some will often try to help. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn't. Sometimes it's the ones that don't that are more dangerous.

When a child looks up to find that they are lost, they will cry until they are found again. The child's parents will sweep them up and hold them close, apologizing the whole time for simple mistakes. Most parents wouldn't let the child out of their sight again or would worry continuously for the next week.

Most children are fine again within the next hour.

But what becomes of those who are never found at all?

_Grimm~Grimm~Grimm_

_"The enchantress was so hard-hearted that she banished the poor girl to a wilderness, where she had to live in a miserable, wretched state."_

Dustin followed Lauren through the woods, allowing himself to be led with no issues. He'd never been in the woods, or not this part at least and he wasn't too keen on getting lost. "It's up this way," Lauren told him, laughing happily as they continued up the path.

"How much farther?" he asked her curiously.

She glanced back with a grin, "2.34 miles to the lake."

"That means we've gone 9.7," Dustin replied. They continued up the trail, checking their GPS trackers and compasses as they went.

"When do you want to stop for food?" Lauren asked after another few minutes.

Dustin smiled, "I don't want to stop until we're naked in that lake."

Lauren giggled. "You'd better have a fire going for me before I step foot in that lake."

Dustin turned, "Oh, I'm gonna have a fire going all right." Then he reached over and pulled his girlfriend closer. He pressed a kiss to her lips, happily taking in the taste of her under the breakfast they'd had before they left that morning. Both made soft noises of pleasure as they kissed. Then Dustin pulled back with a smile and turned to lead them off again.

Only to meet the wrong end of a hunting rifle and a hostile bald man. The gun clicked angrily. "Get down on the ground," the man demanded.

Dustin pushed Lauren behind him as she huffed, "Oh my god."

"Get down on the ground!" the man snapped again, then struck Dustin across the face when the pair again didn't comply.

Dustin fell to the ground and his female companion followed him with a cut-off whimper. Lauren shrieked, "Dustin! No, Dustin! Oh my god." She cried, holding up her hands in surrender as tears began to fill her eyes. "Please, please, please!" she begged. "Please don't shoot!"

The bald man took the pair back to his camp. Night had fallen by the time they arrived. Lauren was begging for their lives, "We were just hiking to Shannon Lake!"

"Never heard of it," the man replied lazily, glaring at them.

"People know we're out here, man!" Dustin cried over Lauren's sobs.

The man straightened from where he'd bent over the coals of the previous night's fire. "Too bad for them if they come looking for you."

"What are you gonna do?" Lauren sobbed, lips trembling.

"Once I figure out if you're cops or not, then I'll decide." The man went back to pilfering through their wallets and bags.

"We're not cops!" Dustin tried to explain. "We own a doggie wash!"

The man mulled the thought over for a moment, then nodded.

"So, you'll let us go?" Lauren begged.

Then man shook his head and picked up his rifle again, "I got 3 million dollars growing up here." He cocked the gun, ignoring the screams and pleas to live. He leaned down with a sick grin. "It's nothing personal," he said above their screams. Just then a branch snapped in the distance and the man swung his rifle around to aim at the source of the noise. He moved forward to investigate, watching the areas around him closely. He watched down the scope on the gun, letting the night vision do the harder work for him as he looked around the woods. He thought it may have been an animal and he could probably just go back to camp but then he was suddenly hit from behind. Something screeched angrily as the gun hit the ground and went off with a loud _bang_.

He stood and caught his breath, but it was all for naught as something thick and heavy wrapped around his neck and choked him. The object tightened around his throat and he was knocked off of his feet and pulled backward. The last thing he saw before the blackness swept over him was the beauty of the stars in the sky.

Back at the campsite, Dustin and Lauren were terrified as they watched a shadow tear apart the inside of one of the tents. Amid the growling and snarling, Lauren decided that if she was going to die, it wasn't going to be in this camp. She turned to her side and said, "Dustin, the ropes." Dustin nodded and moved so that he could work on the ropes as quickly as he could. His own position on the ground hindered him, but he got the ropes free and Lauren shook them off as she stood, then stooped down to untie Dustin. They raced off through the woods, not even bothering to collect their belongings as they ran. Growls and roars motivated them to move faster.

"Run!" Lauren cried, voice strained and cracked from the hours of screaming and crying. They raced down the mountain and into cell phone service. Once there, they called the police and waited, crying and sniffling as they held each other for dear life.

They hoped they never saw anything like that again.

_Grimm~Grimm~Grimm_

Most days, Nick loved his job. Some days, though, his job tested him and he'd end up hating said job before the end of his shift.

When he got the call, Nick almost couldn't believe it. He'd glanced at Hank, then headed for the car. When they got to the site, ATVs had been parked at the bottom of the mountain. One of the park rangers stood near it, waiting for the two Detectives. He nodded to them as they walked over. "The scene's at the top. Road's too unsteady for normal vehicles. These will get you up there faster. Good luck."

"Thanks," Hank replied as he and Nick mounted the ATVs and headed up the mountain.

When they got up there, the scene was still active, the DEA rushing around and calling out to each other. They chopped on the plants all around the site, cutting them down and packing them up to be processed and destroyed as necessary. Nick and Hank ducked around them so they weren't in the way, heading out to the crime scene, which was the reason they were there. They slid on their gloves as they moved through the woods, unsure what to expect, but ready for anything around.

Well, Nick thought, ready for _almost_ anything. There was still much he was learning about being a cop and his _other_ job. He prepared himself to deal with something unexpected and moved on.

The forest grew thicker as they pushed deeper into the greenery. It was beautiful, Nick would have to come back at some point. The DEA guys were still around the body when they arrived at the primary crime scene. One of them knelt next to the body and lifted a hand to fingerprint it.

"Oh, that is one broken neck," Hank grimaced, pulling up the camera and snapping a picture. "And those abrasions, they probably used a pretty hefty rope."

"Well, what do you know. It's Delmar Blake. We've been looking for him for three years," Agent Langford said.

"What'd he do?" Nick asked curiously.

The DEA agent sighed, "Just about everything." He reached back and put his fingerprint device away. "We knew he was moving drugs, we just didn't know he was growing them."

Nick noticed a discoloration on the jacket the body wore and snagged the tweezers out of his pocket to get it. He squatted down and lifted the hair he pulled from the jacket.

"Hair," Hank observed.

"Obviously not his," Nick added, noting the length and color as opposed to the lack of for the dead man. He gently let the hair drop into the evidence bag Hank held out for him.

"Think he's got a girlfriend around here?" Hank asked.

Nick stood, putting the tweezers back in his jacket pocket, "Maybe."

They headed back to the main campsite, stripping off their gloves as they walked. They met the Ranger who'd discovered the body as he left the tent occupied by their unfortunate victim. "Got anything for us?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, it's kind of weird. There's not a bit of food left. No sleeping bags, no blankets. Got millions of dollars worth of marijuana plants out there and not one of them was taken."

Hank tilted his head to regard the tent, "You're saying someone killed him for his supplies?"

"That's what it looks like," the Ranger agreed.

"Somebody's got their priorities screwed up," Nick said.

"Maybe we're talking Bigfoot," Hank joked.

Nick smiled, "I don't think Bigfoot would fit into the sleeping bag. I'm gonna go talk to the DEA guys."

"Alright," Hank replied.

"Yeah, it used to be nice and pristine up here." The Ranger said to Hank.

Nick didn't hear the rest as he stopped next to Agent Langford and asked, "So, you ever see anything like this before?" When Agent Langford looked confused, Nick elaborated, "Someone kills the grower but leaves all of the plants?" Nick had seen similar things in New York, but nothing like this.

"No," Agent Langford replied. Then he sighed, "Look, all I know is that someone made our lives a little easier, okay? One less scum bag in the world."

Nick resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He'd heard a lot of people say things like that, but he disagreed with the sentiment that they deserved death. Sure, they should be brought to justice, but he didn't want to kill them. There was a difference between _justice_ and vengeance. Nick didn't want to cross that line.

"Now, we're gonna move the body if you're done with it." Langford jerked a thumb to the site.

Nick didn't technically have to, as the evidence needed had already been collected by the unis on-scene and the body did technically go with the DEA. But, as it were, Nick wanted another look to make sure. He also wanted to inconvenience the DEA hotshots who thought they were better than robbery/homicide detectives just a little bit. So, it was with great pleasure that he replied, "I'm gonna take another look," and went back to the scene. He heard the DEA Agent sigh and a brief smile crossed his face before he schooled his features and lifted the yellow tape to get back to the site. "I've got this!" he called to the others around the body. The Agent nodded to him and cleared out while the uni offered a smile as they passed by him. Nick sighed, looking over the greying and mangled body. He looked around at his surroundings, then noticed the gun thrown a few feet away. He went over and knelt next to it. As he was examining the gun, something else caught his attention in the forest. Another hair in the direction the gun was facing, maybe the way the gun was shot based on the gun powder marking the inside of the barrel. This hair was the same as the one he'd pulled off of the victim's collar. He put in an evidence bag and looked around again, wondering if he'd find more of these hairs around the forest and if they belonged to the dead man's killer or another victim.

He saw another hair clinging to a broken plant about three footsteps away from the tree he'd pulled the second hair from. As he picked it up to examine it, the bushes behind him rustled. He whipped around, looking for the source of the rustling and who'd made it, chasing after the person once he caught sight of them. He raced through the woods, panting for breath as he chased the person through the trees on rocky terrain. He stopped, grabbing hold of a tree to catch his balance as he looked around for the person.

He only saw a flash of them, but he was sure. As the person raced away again with a growl, Nick felt the surprise take hold in his chest.

The person, he swore, had claws and fangs. They looked suspiciously like a certain man in Nick's life. Enough that Nick was sure he'd have to call him in. Nick sighed as he finally began to breathe normally again.

One day, he'd get used to having _Wesen_ spring up out of nowhere on his cases. Until then, he had what looked like a rouge _Blutbad_ to catch.

Some days, Nick _hated_ his job.

_Grimm~Grimm~Grimm_

After finally making it back to the campsite and letting the DEA take what they needed, Hank and Nick headed off to the witness's home.

"He was gonna kill us and then he heard something. And he just walked off," Dustin Dunay told Nick and Hank as they sat at the Dunays' kitchen table later that day.

"We heard a gunshot and then it sounded like somebody was being choked?" added Lauren.

"You see anybody else?" Nick asked.

Dustin shook his head, "No."

"Hear anything else?" Hank asked.

Lauren nodded, "Yes. Some... thing came into the camp and started knocking stuff over."

"We don't know what it was, we just saw shadows," Dustin added.

"And heard something, like a growl."

"It took us forever to get free and then we just ran," Dustin finished out.

Nick puzzled this over in his head, comparing the idea to the person he'd seen in the woods.

"You never saw his body?" Hank asked.

"No," Dustin replied.

"But whatever it was, it saved our lives." Lauren sniffled.

It was becoming more and more likely that whoever Nick had seen in the woods had something to do with this. In the glimpse he'd gotten of the person, he'd noticed how long their hair was, able to wrap around their body at least twice. He was still puzzling it out in his head when they got back to the precinct.

"The FBI confirmed the identity of Delmare Blake," Hank said.

"The lab confirmed the hair we found on his neck and the tree were not Blake," Nick added.

"Was it one of the hikers?" Renard questioned, clicking through the pictures as the three stood in his office.

Hank shook his head and shrugged, "We don't know. We're testing DNA and we've got samples of hair from both the hikers."

"You're sure they had nothing to do with it?"

"We ran a background check. No priors. They run a doggie wash in Beaverton," Nick replied.

"Hm," Renard acknowledged, continuing through the gruesome photos of the scene.

Hank had taken them and while time and experience steadied his hand, the pictures were still a bit blurry on the edges. Nick would've felt better to know that the body was down in autopsy for _their_ examiner to look over, but the DEA had claimed the autopsy rights. Nick wished they hadn't but jurisdiction dictated they controlled the scene and while he didn't like it, Nick let it be.

"Nothing to indicate they'd have anything to do with Blake or drug," Nick finished.

Renard clicked to the last picture, a rather unsettling close-up of the broken neck. "So what is it? Another drug dealer getting rid of the competition?"

"They would've taken his plants."

It was clear Renard wasn't happy with the answer Hank had given. "Who kills a pot grower in the middle of the woods for a sleeping bag and some food?"

"Someone hungry and cold," Nick replied.

Renard dismissed them and they headed back to their desks to continue investigating. Nick was considering contacting Monroe to ask about _Blutbaden_ in the woods when Sgt Wu came over.

"So I've got a couple of knuckle-draggers here demanding to see their brother's body." He gestured over to the men with his head. "Apparently upstanding citizen Delmar Blake has a family." He headed back over to the two men.

Nick and Hank exchanged a glance, then followed.

Sgt Wu gestured to Nick and Hank with his file, "Detectives Burkhardt and Griffin."

"How can we help you guys?" Hank asked.

The men were immediately on the attack and very aggressive. "Are you the ones who found our brother?"

"We're the ones investigating the death of Delmar Blake," Hank confirmed, hands settled near his hips.

"Do you have I.D.s?" Nick asked cautiously.

"Why? What'd we do?" The first man more demanded than asked.

"Before we divulge any information we have to know who we're talking to." Hank's response was sharp, possibly sharper than intended, but the point stood.

The men dug their identification out of their pockets. "How'd he die?" the second man asked.

The first man handed Nick his I.D. "Gun, knife, beaten to death?"

"We're still trying to determine that," Nick glanced over the picture, name, and state before looking back up at Rolland Blake and handing his wallet back.

"You can't tell by looking at him?" Rolland looked for all the world like he was ready to fight both of the detectives and everyone in the precinct.

The second Blake brother interjected, "We want to see the body."

"Well, it's at the morgue," Nick replied.

Rolland got a contemptibly dark and smug look on his face, "Doesn't change what he said."

"Then you'll have to meet us there." Hank retorted.

"Well then, let's get this done," the second brother replied.

They headed off, Nick still seething with rage. He'd dealt with jerks like that at every bar he went to with his lovers, at every place he'd gone to that was openly accepting of the gay community. He'd gone up against discrimination since he was young and he wouldn't be the man he was today if he didn't fight it. The man he'd just spoken to was like every single one of the jerk's he'd defended himself against in bars and the streets. Smug and angry, thinking the world bowed to their will. Nick hated those kinds of people, but for the sake of this case, he forced himself to remain civil.

"Why'd you cut him open?" Rolland demanded shortly, staring at the victim on the table.

"To determine the cause of death," Nick replied evenly. "It's a homicide investigation."

"He was _strangled,"_ replied Mike Blake, "Even I can see that."

Hank interjected, "Did you know your brother was involved with illegal cultivation of a controlled substance?"

"I don't care what he was doing. I want to know who killed him!" Tears flooded the Blakes' eyes.

Nick understood their pain, honestly. He had people he cared about too and it would break him if they died **(1)** , but he couldn't let these two go off without at least _trying_ to stop them. "And maybe do something about it?" This doubled as a way to check if they were _Wesen_ , but if they were they didn't show it then.

Rolland scoffed, "A lot more than you're going to do."

Nick knew the road this man was going down. He'd seen it too many times, both as a Detective and as a beat cop. "You should let us do our jobs before you _become_ our jobs."

Rolland looked like he'd come across the table, his brother Mike stopping him when he moved to go around. Nick was unapologetic, crossing his arms over his chest. _Let him hit_ _me,_ he thought. _He can't go get himself killed if he's sitting in a jail cell for assault and battery._

"Don't you feel that cool air in here?" Hank snapped, glaring at both the brothers. He was silent for a bit, letting his words sink in. "It's bad for the body when it gets too hot."

Mike smiled apologetically, "He's just talking." He gave his brother a look, then shoved his shoulder to force him over to the door. "Now we're leaving." They left, Rolland, shoving the doors open and letting them slam.

"What do you see in those two?" Hank asked.

"Priors," Nick replied. These kinds of people got into altercations often and the way they'd acted towards the detective's suggested previous run-ins with the law.

"Let's see if you pinned the tail on those donkeys." Hank headed for the door, letting their medical examiner get back to work.

Upon getting their names back, Hank smiled. "Assault, disturbing the peace, tax fraud, and dealing in stolen goods, but no drug charges."

Nick was happy he was right but disappointed to find they'd not gotten anywhere in the case. "So maybe they weren't involved with their brother." He leaned forward over the desk, "An outstanding warrants?"

"Disappointingly no," Hank replied.

Nick hummed, "I guess they just haven't been caught lately."

Hank nodded his agreement as Wu came over and said, "Hold onto your-" A confused pause, "Whatever you hold onto cause you're not gonna believe this. We just got the lab report back on the brunette hair you found at the scene." He set the file down in front of Hank, letting him read it over.

Hank skimmed it, then read it over again more carefully. A frown deepened on his face, then he glanced at Wu, "Holly Clark? You're sure?"

Sgt Wu nodded, "We got a preliminary match. They're running the tests again to make sure."

Nick tilted his head, brows furrowing in confusion. He reached out to take the file Hank offered and listened as Hank explained. "One of the most depressing cases I've ever worked. A little girl playing in her mother's back yard just vanished, a massive search turned up nothing."

"Seven years old," Nick observed from the file. "She's been missing nine years."

"She was adopted and her birth mother was a drug addict. No one was ever charged."

"She'd be fifteen, sixteen years old," Nick handed the file back to Hank.

Sgt Wu shrugged, "What, this girl's out in the woods living with a drug dealer for all these years?"

"We had better lock her identity down before we start banging drums on this." Hank folded his arms as he and Wu continued speaking.

Nick stared at the picture of the little girl, pain for her family stabbing his heart. He hadn't been there for the search, had moved just after it, but he'd had a few cases like this happen since. It was always hard when the victims of a case were kids. He didn't think he'd ever be able to get past it.

"Looks like it's gonna be a dine-at-desk night," Hank said to Nick, an apology on his lips.

Nick shook his head, "I'll see if I can find out if Blake is in any way to the girl or her family, and where he was the night she was abducted." He stood, grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair. He could see that Hank wanted to be left alone for now and he needed to call Monroe and Rosalee anyway. He headed off, hoping to catch his lovers before they started dinner. If he was lucky, he would, but luck wasn't always on his side.

_(Rolland and Mike watched as Dustin got into the car and began heading towards wherever it was he was going. Mike nodded and they were following the man. Maybe these two killed Delmar, maybe they didn't. Either way, the Blakes would get the truth.)_

_Grimm~Grimm~Grimm_

Nick let himself in the house when he was finally done for the night, keys jangling on their chair as he walked inside and shut the door behind him. "I'm home!" The house was decorated as it always was. Nick remembered the first time he'd seen it, coming to spend Christmas with Monroe before the older man left to visit his parents for the holidays. It still filled him with happiness to see the house decked in wreaths, ribbon, and ornaments. It would be Hell to take down when Christmas was over, but it was worth it to see Monroe happy. "House looks great Monroe!"

"Nicky, hey!" Monroe came from the kitchen, pulling Nick into a hug and kissing his temple in greeting. "Thank you, Rose was a big help and Freddie stopped by to help too. I was just getting my trains. Here, hold this." He handed Nick one of the trains he held in his right hand. "Remember to be gentle, it's-"

"An antique, 1935, pre-war. I remember, 'Roe. I'll be gentle," Nick promised with a smile. "I need to show you something."

Monroe nodded, heading over to the train tracks in the middle of the room. "Sure, just a sec," he set down the trains he was still holding. "Hand me the caboose."

Nick handed it over, then took the required step back as Monroe set the trains on the rails. He headed over to the switch and let it go. The train buzzed to life, its whistle blowing as it sped around the train tracks. Monroe sat back, looking for all the world like a kid in a candy store. "What do you think?" Monroe asked with a glance at Nick.

Nick allowed a lopsided smile, "Once again, I think you've got too much time on your hands, 'Roe. You know Juliette and Adalind don't even have a light up yet?"

"That makes sense with Juliette's vet practice and Adalind's hours," Monroe joked back. "You remember the Santa suit?"

"A _Blutbad_ as Santa?" Nick teased.

"I'm pretty good, but it's true. I'm no _Gefrieren Geber_."

Nick startled, then reached over and turned off the train set. "Wait a minute. You're telling me that _Santa Claus_ is-" he cut off, almost unwilling to believe that the myth he'd heard as a kid was not only true but also _Wesen._

"Well, think about it. I mean, who else could _live_ up there?" Monroe replied.

"Huh," Nick marveled at the idea.

Monroe stood, "Want some eggnog?"

"In a minute" Nick reached into his pocket and handed over the picture of Holly. "Can you tell if she could be a _Blutbad_ from a picture?"

Monroe took the picture, but shook his head, "I can't tell what she is from a photo."

Nick nodded, "If she were _Blutbaden_ could she survive by herself in the woods for nine years?"

"If she wasn't, definitely _not._ Is she lost?"

Nick shook his head, "There's a possibility she was abducted nine years ago at the age of seven."

"Wow," Monroe looked over the picture again, "And you said she's been living in the woods for _nine years_?"

"We have evidence it was her," Nick affirmed.

"Well, I mean, if she was only seven years old the society hasn't had that much influence on her, so she'd still be a wild child. Her instincts would be working full-time so, you know, she'd have a decent chance. I'm not sure I'd want to run into her now, though."

"She was adopted from a very young age, I don't know if her adoptive parents where _Blutbaden._ Could that be a problem?"

"Yeah! I mean, she'd have no one who understood what she was going through."

Nick mulled this over, then asked, "Did you know you were _Blutbaden_ when you were born?"

Monroe paused, then sat. With a sigh, he replied, "Let me put it this way. The first time you feel the surge and you fang out, it is pretty weird." He gestured to his face, "I bit through my lip, I ripped my pants, it scared the crap out of me. I don't know if that's the way it is for all _Wesen_ , but that's how it is for _Blutbaden_. Rose could tell you more, she hears all kinds of stories from her clients at the shop."

Nick nodded, "Okay. So there's a possibility that she does _not_ know who she is if she didn't have parents who understood?"

"Definitely. That could be why she never came out of the woods."

Nick thought over the idea that popped into his head, then nodded to himself. "I'm going back out there. I'd like you to come with me."

Monroe sighed, "How'd I know you were gonna say that?"

"If she is _Wesen_ , I don't want to risk some stranger's life taking them out there to find a girl they can't handle."

"But you're willing to risk _mine_?" Monroe asked, a little unclear on Nick's thought process

Nick shook his head quickly, "No. I'm not happy with this either, but you're _like_ her. You could understand her."

Monroe shook his head, "Nicky, even if she did accept me, I haven't been living in the woods for nine years. I don't think I could match that."

Nick held out the picture. "Please, Monroe. I think she might be wounded, could you at least _try_?"

Monroe groaned. "Fine, but not at night," he said firmly.

"Tomorrow morning?" Nick offered instead.

Monroe nodded, "We'd better be prepared."

Rosalee came in from the back, a smile on her face as she greeted Nick with a kiss. "Dinner's warmed up, Nicky. Come eat. Tell me about this case, maybe something in the shop can help." Nick followed her, easily letting himself be led away by the _Fuchsbau_ and to the kitchen. He missed the glance she threw Monroe over her shoulder.

Monroe nodded back and sighed again. This would be dangerous. Monroe didn't like danger, wasn't one to throw himself in headfirst when the trouble started. With a huff, he stood and looked over his trains. Once upon a time, he wouldn't have thought twice before he said no and threw Nick out. Years ago, he'd never have thought he could help a Grimm. Monroe would've slaughtered anyone who'd even _suggested_ the idea. With a chuckle to himself, he smiled. The things he did for love. He was better off for it.

He reached over and turned the trains back on, to be turned off later when he went to bed. Then he turned and joined his lovers in the kitchen, fully prepared to do whatever he needed to on this expedition.

_Grimm~Grimm~Grimm_

Across town, three men sat in a booth at a bar. The first, Bud, was the repairman who'd fixed the fridge at Nick, Monroe, and Rosalee's house. The other two were friends of his, Irv and Roscoe.

"You're full of it," Roscoe told Bud as he sat down from getting another beer.

"I'm telling you, no way," Irv joined in.

Bud shook his head, "I saw him with my own two eyes!"

"Here in Portland?" Roscoe asked.

"They don't really exist!" Irv added.

"I was at his _house_ ," Bud exclaimed.

Roscoe gave pause, "You were in a Grimm's _house_?"

"Yes," Bud replied.

"If that's true how come he didn't kill you?" Irv demanded.

"He lives there with a _Fuchsbau._ She told him to sit down at the table and then sat in his lap. He didn't kill her either. He looked besotted, he was so in love," Bud explained.

Roscoe still looked disbelieving, "Okay, where does he live, Mr. I-saw-a-Grimm-and-lived-to-tell-about-it?"

Irv pulled out a paper note, "Fifty bucks says you're full of tree sap!" He slammed the money down on the table.

Bud looked scared for a moment, wondering if it was worth it to face the Grimm again. He'd seemed calm with the _Fuchsbau_ on his lap and he didn't try to hurt her when she kissed him. If he did go back, he hoped she was there. He nodded to the men, "I'll take you."

_(Dustin locked the doors to the doggie wash and shouldered his backpack again. Heading across the street to his car, he gave no thought to the cars, glancing at all the people around. He finally got to his car and was stopped by a voice. "Hey, buddy. Got the time?"_

_His striking resemblance to the man in the woods makes Dustin wary, but he glances at his watch, "Nine-oh-six." Something struck the back of his head, pain bouncing around over his head, radiating from the back of his skull. Then unconsciousness hit his brain, pressing at him and dragging him under._

_Even as he fell backward and was caught, then dragged away, he saw no reason not to surrender to its call.)_

Bud took Roscoe and Irv to the Grimm's house, exactly where he remembered it was They sat there for almost ten minutes before the Grimm came back with a bag of groceries. They were there when the Grimm came home and let himself in.

"Oh, man! Oh, man, that's him!" Bud cried when the Grimm slid out of his vehicle and headed for the house. "Oh, man - Get down!"

In huffs and puffs, the three men whimpered as they made themselves as small as humanly possible so they could remain unseen. They were lucky, the Grimm moved past without even _glancing_ in their direction. Roscoe reached over and started the car, Irv put it in gear, and Bud hit the gas to make the truck go. They booked it away from the Grimm's home before the man knew what was going on.

_Grimm~Grimm~Grimm_

"Can you imagine losing your child like that?" Rosalee asked Nick as they waited for Monroe to come to bed.

"No, I can't," Nick replied, watching her carefully and looking love-drunk.

"Almost can't believe she survived out there all these years." Rosalee leaned against Nick's side after reaching over and turning out the light.

"Mmm, I guess so."

"You know, I was talking to Juliette last week and she was telling me about 'Feral Child Syndrome'. She said that most of them are cases of child abuse and the whole 'raised by wolves' thing was never proven."

Rosalee was looking at Nick like she was afraid he would disappear. Given the recent scares with a gunman coming to the house and pointing a gun at her, Nick thought it was perfectly fine that she may be afraid. That plus Nick's being new to the whole Grimm thing, thus very unaware of things that _could_ go wrong, and the fact the Nick seemed to be a magnet for trouble anyway meant she was often worried for his safety and that something may happen she couldn't fix. Rosalee was an herbal healer, had been since she started working with Freddy in the shop and became a co-owner. Sometimes she couldn't get to a patient fast enough or her remedies could only keep them comfortable. She didn't want Nick or Monroe to be another person she couldn't help.

"That's why we're being extra cautious about this," Nick murmured back to reassure his lover.

"Have you told the parents yet?"

Nick shook his head, "Not yet."

Rosalee hummed, "This is one of those times I do not envy your job."

Nick pressed a kiss to Rosalee's cheek, not saying anything to his girlfriend. She knew well there were days he wanted to quit. Should the day ever come when he did, Freddy would've been happy to let Nick work with him and Rosalee at the Spice Shop. He didn't answer, only offered a smile, hoping he conveyed reassurance well enough. She curled against him and he pressed himself to her back, letting her draw whatever comfort she could from his arms. By the time Monroe came to bed, Nick was just aware enough to hum when Monroe pressed a kiss to his cheek.

He dropped off to sleep, knowing his lovers were there and promising himself he'd stay safe on this adventure.

_Grimm~Grimm~Grimm_

"You realize you're going to be opening up old wounds?" Renard paced the room once, coming to a stop behind his desk. He looked at them expectantly.

"I know, I've lived through it," Hank replied. "That's why we have to be 110% sure."

Renard nodded. "And we have to keep a low profile. I can't sit on this forever. I'll give you 24 hours to find something definitive. How do you want to do this?"

"We're gonna split up. I'm gonna see if I can track down the adoptive parents and see if anyone- maybe a family member- could have taken Holly into those woods."

Renard nodded, "And you?" He looked at Nick.

"I'm going back out to the crime scene. See if I can find any other evidence of Holly," Nick replied.

"Taking anyone with you?"

"Monroe. He's an experienced tracker," Nick replied.

"What about other drug dealers in the area?"

"If there were, the DEA sent the running when they mopped up the areas. They got who they were looking for, the rest is up to us." Nick didn't mention that he would never take Monroe out there if he didn't think it would be safe.

Renard accepted this answer. "Alright. Take anything you need. Any hard evidence comes back to me first."

"Yes, sir," Nick replied.

They took the dismissal and headed out. Nick headed back to his desk and grabbed his jacket. He'd left the heavy boots and lighter pullover in his car for when he got to the woods. Before he headed out, Hank grabbed his attention, "Hey, Nick."

Nick glanced up, raising an eyebrow at his friend.

"Good luck. And be careful, the DEA may not have flushed all of the drug dealers out."

Nick smiled reassuringly, "I will. I'd never take a civilian out in the woods if I didn't have a plan for anything that may happen."

Hank nodded. "Have fun out there. Don't get _distracted_ , rookie," the older man teased with a broad, self-satisfactory grin.

Nick flushed and shoved Hank's shoulder. He called his own well-wishes to his partner and hurried down the stairs before Hank could tease him further. He'd asked Monroe to meet him at the precinct and they'd take Nick's jeep as it was better suited to handle the rocky and uneven ground leading to the ranger station. From there, they headed up to the crime scene on ATVs.

When they got close enough, Nick led Monroe over to the still taped crime scene on foot. "This is where they found his body," he lifted the tape and let Monroe duck under it, then slid under himself.

"Weird vibes out here," Monroe observed.

Nick nodded, "His gun was pointing this way, but I found some buckshot right here." He reached up and framed the area of the tree with his hands. After a pause, he added, "And some strands of hair."

"Where'd you see her?" Monroe asked, glancing around.

Nick glanced over, then gestured, "Well, something caught my attention over this way and I follow it." He started in that direction. "It was here that I saw her. I'm not entirely certain it _was_ her though. I only saw that she was _Blutbaden_ and had ridiculously long hair."

Monroe suddenly stepped in front of him, nose to the air and hovering protectively.

"You've got something?" Nick asked, tilting his head and keeping his voice low.

Monroe shrugged, "Just give me a second, okay?"

Nick fell silent, letting Monroe explore. When something made him look down, Nick was patient as he examined it. "What it is?"

"Burdock root. I haven't seen any since I was a kid in scouts." He reached down and plucked it up, running gentle hands over the leaves. "Yeah, it's a pain killer. It's like aspirin, you chew on the root. It's also a fine diuretic," he paused seeing Nick's face twist in discomfort, "But I digress."

He looked around, then nodded. "We should gear up. This is gonna take a while." He headed back to grab the gear.

Nick knew it had been foolish to hope this could be over quickly, but he was still a bit disappointed. He let himself feel the momentary weariness in his chest, then pushed it away and went to grab the gear he'd packed the night before. He let Monroe take the lead, following close behind the older man. Nick didn't know these woods as well as he could've and while he'd prefer to be in front (in case Renard's worries came true), he wasn't the tracker here.

After an hour of following, Nick got curious, "What are you smelling?"

"Hell if I know. I just get the scent, you know? It's not a moose, it's not a bear, it's not a deer." He glanced over at Nick, "We have our own unique bouquet."

Nick nodded, "Huh."

Monroe then stopped short, "Here we go. A _knochen hof_."

"A boneyard?" Nick asked.

"Yes," the _Blutbad_ replied. "There's a spiritual meaning. We've taken a life to sustain life and the sacrifice has to be honored. You know, before digestion begins."

The detective was left in a sort of stunned state as he followed Monroe forward. He was sure this was part of _Wesen_ culture. He'd studied a lot of different languages and the culture behind them, but this he wasn't sure he could make sense of. Monroe and Rosalee didn't do these kinds of things so he wasn't quite sure of them, but he would respect this culture nonetheless. He'd just have to learn about it the same way he had the others.

He was pulled from his thought when Monroe grunted. Sniffing deeply, he nodded, "Woah. We're in the right place."

Nick tilted his head.

"You don't smell that?" Monroe asked. Then shook his head, "She marked territory here."

Oh. That made sense now. Wait a minute. "You mean we're on her _property_?" Nick asked, spreading his hands to gesture to the ground around them.

Monroe cut his hand over, indicating he wanted silence. Nick obliged. Monroe didn't often go quiet, but when he did it was important. He glanced around, straining his ears to hear any noise. He almost didn't notice when Monroe raced off in a burst of movement. Had Monroe not grabbed his hand and squeezed, he may not have noticed at all. As it were, Nick snapped up the backpack Monroe ditched in favor of speed and rushed after his taller lover.

Monroe was definitely farther ahead, unburdened as he was by the weight on his back and his knowledge of forest travel. Nick scrambled to keep up. Privately he thought that even with his training at the police academy, nothing could've prepared him for racing through the woods on foot to follow two _Blutbaden_. When he caught up, he was startled at the sight of two _woged_ people. Monroe's hair stood on end as he watched the red-eyed girl carefully.

Nick kept well away from the two, unsure what was going on or what to do with this situation. He felt a flash of fear when the girl growled, but not for himself. It was unrelated to the flashback he'd experienced of the _Wesen_ that had tried to kill him or his Aunt. The fear he felt was for his lover. This fear settled when Monroe opened his mouth and _roared_.

The girl roared back, a snarl twisting her lips.

Monroe roared back even louder.

The girl spooked and ran off. Monroe's _woge_ receded and he stumbled back a bit. "Holy crap. That was-" He panted, "Holy crap."

Nick slowly came over and stood next to his lover. "What just happened?"

"Um..." Monroe hesitated. "Just don't be surprised if after all this is over, she comes around the house."

_Grimm~Grimm~Grimm_

They went running after her, rushing to keep up. Monroe was faster again, but Nick kept close. "Don't lose her!" he called after Monroe.

They chased her through the thick trees and underbrush, through flat and uneven ground. They nearly caught her a few times when she stopped for breath, but then she raced off again. When Monroe jogged to a stop, looking around and taking in deep breaths.

"Where'd she go? Can you find her?" Nick asked.

Monroe took in more deep breaths but didn't reply.

Nick sighed, "We lost her."

Monroe shook his head, "No, we haven't lost her. She thinks she's lost us. I can still smell her." He took in another deep breath, "I just don't know where it's coming from."

Nick nodded distractedly from where he'd noticed a metal piece stabbed into the side of the tree they'd stopped in front of. He reached over, to examine it further, then noticed another one not that far up the tree. He whipped around, "I think I know where she went."

Monroe came to join him near the tree and looked up. Above the trees was a giant treehouse, looking shabby and run-down, but there. Monroe whistled softly, "That's a hell of a hunting blind."

They glanced at each other. Monroe spoke first. "I think I should go up first," because no one had taught Nick how to approach a scared and cornered _Blutbad_ or one that may be injured. No one had told Nick that a feral _Wesen_ may act when it felt threatened in its own home or that it would be a million times worse than any animal or human because _Wesen_ had all the animal instinct and the human impulse and means to act on them.

And because Nick trusted Monroe in all things, but especially in this, he nodded, "You've got this." He offered a smile, his show of support.

Monroe smiled back as he headed up the tree. Nick watched until Monroe was about halfway up, then promptly turned and disappeared into the trees, waiting for Monroe to either call him up or come back down.

He'd chosen neutral tones for a reason, to hide better among the brush. Besides, old habits died hard. There had been times when he was younger when his Aunt had told him to hide, or someone had come to their motel room and Nick would have to be perfectly still and silent. He usually used it for tired rent collectors who came by when his aunt wasn't home, but sometimes an angry man or two would come pounding on the door. Once memorably time included a man breaking into what he thought was his ex-girlfriend's apartment. The point was, Nick learned how to make himself disappear. It had become something of talent and incredibly useful for chasing bad guys both as a patrol officer and a detective **(2).**

He waited there until Monroe called for him.

_Grimm~Grimm~Grimm_

Up in the tree, Monroe was having the time of his life. He'd forgotten how it felt to have the trees under his hands and the bark biting into his palms. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been camping. Before he'd met Nick and _definitely_ before he'd started helping at the Spice Shop, he thought. He'd have to go for a weekend. Maybe he could find a time they could all go.

He pushed open the trap door and peered into the small room. He saw her hair first, then followed the length of it up to the girl, who was currently sleeping. _She's here._

Monroe glanced down to find Nick, but he'd already disappeared into the trees. He'd have to talk to Nick about the disappearing act again. He'd done it on a large scale once while he, Rose, and Monroe were on vacation and it had ended terribly. On a smaller scale, he did it often around the house when he wanted a brief break from the world around him. Nick wasn't a big people person, only having a few good friends, like Hank and Juliette. He'd often said that his need to be in another person's presence had to outweigh the need to have his personal space. Monroe understood the sentiment. Rosalee was more social that both Monroe and Nick combined.

 _Once more, into the fray,_ Monroe thought as he pulled the trap door open and heaved himself into the tree-house. He approached the girl slowly, hoping not to wake her. Though, with the situation and how still she was, Monroe thought she may have been unconscious rather than asleep. He carefully looked her over, thankful that Nick hadn't followed him up.

Monroe sighed silently, rolling his shoulders back. This situation called for a delicate and understanding touch.

Monroe reached out and sniffed at the air, nose wrinkling at the smell of blood and pain. There was also gunpowder residue and an acidic scent that made Monroe want to disinfect the entire house. As he went to lift the girl's shirt to get a better look at the wound there, he wished he'd thought to have Nick stay at the door rather than stay out of the treehouse completely. If this girl went for his Monroe's throat, he may well have been utterly screwed. He gently lifted the long-sleeved shirt away from the wound, hissing at the circular punctures, hardly bigger than a number two pencil. There must've been ten at least. This kid would definitely need first-aid and, when they could get her out of there, a hospital.

It was then that he noticed the girl had opened her eyes and was now staring at him with a hatred Monroe hadn't known _existed_. She growled at him, eyes glowing red. For a tense few seconds, she stared at him, angry and in pain. Then Monroe let the _woge_ take over his eyes and his eyes turned bloody crimson red. He reached out to the girl, heedless of her flinching back and empty threatening growls. He whispered reassurances to her, letting her get used to the idea that he was going to take care of her now, that she wasn't alone anymore.

He took her temperature as she passed out again and sighed, "She's got a high fever." This would require every bit of first-aid he'd learned in the scouts, but first, he leaned over and looked towards the tree line, where he knew Nick would be waiting. He waved a hand, telling Nick to come up, and waited until he saw Nick reappear from the tree line before he ducked back inside the treehouse and began examining the would once more.

_Grimm~Grimm~Grimm_

Back at the precinct, Sgt Wu looked up from where he was running down the name Hank had given him after the Detective's talk with Holly Clark's mother. "Wow, you're starting to look like a detective."

Sgt Wu pulled the pen from his mouth and replied, "I'm starting to feel like one." He leafed through the file on the giant box next to him, "I found your Jimmy Addison, but I also found this." He handed the file over. "All the neighbors were interviewed the day Holly Clark disappeared. He had the best alibi."

"Where was he?"

"The hospital. Apparently, he got bit by a wild dog while hiking in the woods. Had a pretty big bite taken out of him. Shattered his tibia and took out a hunk of muscle."

"Did they ever find the dog?"

"No."

"Anybody with him?"

"Not according to his statement."

Hank looked up from the file, "Did he say where he was hiking?"

The Sergent nodded, "Yep, up near Mt. Hood."

Hank thought for a moment, "Well, this doesn't make any sense. He was treated in a community hospital in Beaverton." He glanced up at Wu, "If you're hiking near Mt. Hood there are much closer hospitals than Beaverton."

"He would've had to drive over a hundred miles to get to that hospital," the other man agreed.

"Would you drive that far with your leg like that?"

"Are you kidding? I'd be screaming my head off. I have a very low tolerance for pain."

Hank's face went very serious. "So, he was never considered a suspect. How'd we miss this?"

Wu made a noncommittal sound of vague understanding. "Well, if he was in the hospital the day of her disappearance, it's a pretty damn good alibi."

Hank nodded, "You got a last known address?"

Wu held up a paper with the address asked for. "Ready when you are."

Hank stood and they headed off, grabbing coats as they rushed off.

_Grimm~Grimm~Grimm_

When Nick climbed up the tree and heaved himself into the treehouse, he wasn't quite sure what to expect. One thing he hadn't expected was Holly Clark (positive visual I.D.) to be bleeding. He knelt next to Monroe and pulled some supplies from the packs. He handed a water oaked rag to Monroe, "She definitely took some buckshot."

Holly's face twisted in discomfort, then her eyes snapped open and met the steady gaze of Nick's grey. This was new territory for Nick and fear twisted cold hands his mind.

Monroe jumped into action, "Don't make any sudden moves."

Nick glanced at Monroe, then back at the girl. Softly, he murmured, "Holly?"

The girl glanced between Monroe and Nick, a low growl rumbling in her throat. "Holly Clark?"

"We're here to help you," Monroe added. "Do you understand me?"

Holly's lips parted like she wanted to say something, but she didn't produce any sound.

Nick wanted to try and get through to this kid, but he didn't know how much she remembered about her life before. Being isolated was not good for humans, they always come out differently. Who knew if it would be worse for _Blutbaden._ Holly Clark had spent _years_ on her own in the forest and this was new territory for all involved. Better to let Monroe handle it with the limited knowledge he had than Nick to handle it when he had none.

"Maybe we're experiencing a language barrier. How old was she when she disappeared?" Monroe asked.

"Nine. She would've been in fourth or fifth grade."

"Okay," he turned his attention back to Holly. "Let's try a more direct approach." He breathed deep, then _woged_ , eyes glowing. Holly followed his lead.

Nick watched both worriedly and with an awestruck shock.

A shudder and the _woge_ receded. "You are Holly Clark," Monroe told the girl. "You're hurt. He's putting medicine in your wounds." He nodded to her.

Nick suddenly noticed a hair clip that must've fallen on the floor. He picked it up and held it out for Holly to see. She gasped, looking at the hair clip with both pain and longing. She stared at it for many seconds before she looked up at them, then back at the hair clip. She swallowed, then rasped, "Holly."

The tension drained out of her and she fell back on the bed, eyes closing. Her entire body relaxed. Nick smiled, a startled laugh slipping from his lips. He and Monroe glanced at each other, Monroe sporting a grin just as wide as Nick's. He pressed into Nick's arm, conveying his pride and happiness to his lover. Nick's smile widened and he nodded back, then continued to carefully care for Holly's wounds.

_(Dustin hissed out an answer between clenched teeth. "I told you everything I told the police. I didn't kill your brother, I'm telling you. There was something else out there." His legs shook as one of the brothers came closer._

_"That's just what I'd tell the police if I killed somebody."_

_"For God's sake, do you really believe that I could've killed your brother?" he pleaded. Blood ran down the side of his face in thin rivulets, tears welling up in his eyes._

_"Well, what do we do with him now?" one brother asked the other._

_The other brother leaned down and replied, "Keep him here until we find out if he's lying. We go back out there and find whoever did it."_

_The first brother shook his head, "I think we should kill him now."_

_Dustin bit back a whimper._

_The second brother cut a glare at the first, "We can't kill him until we find out if he's lying. If he is, he'll wish we would've killed him instead of what we're gonna do when we get back."_

_Dustin couldn't hold back the whimper as the man leaned over and mockingly patted Dustin on the head. "You have a little time to mull that over now."_

_As the brothers went back up the stairs, Dustin broke down sobbing and prayed for mercy from the Lord above.)_

_Grimm~Grimm~Grimm_

_(Hank and Wu headed up the stairs to speak with Addison about Holly Clark, which was probably for the best when one considers what happened._

_Once they got inside, the real investigation began. As they asked their questions, about camping and the like, Hank noticed the man's limp. He felt sympathetic, but also angry. If it was actually from a wild animal and Addison was just strange about hospitals, then Hank pitied him. If it was from Holly, maybe from her survival instincts, then Hank was furious at his audacity._

_Addison seemed very nervous, which made for an interested Detective. Hank wondered what they'd get from him as they continued with their questions.)_

"I don't know how much buckshot she has in her, but I can't get it all out. All I can do is bandage it up for now." Nick stood, heading back over to his backpack to get his phone.

"Her fever is worse," Monroe mentioned.

"There's ibuprofen in the packs," Nick suggested.

Monroe sighed, then leaned over and grabbed the kit. "It's better than nothing I guess. Burdock root would be better." His ears caught the sound of Nick's phone beeping. "What are you doing?"

Nick looked at Monroe, "We need some help up here."

"Well, you're not gonna get any service out here," Monroe returned to the kit.

Nick sighed, "Yeah, I know. I thought I'd try." He glanced over at the window as a sound caught his attention, then looked back down to go for his pack. His eyes caught on one of the suitcases, then back down before Nick paused and looked back up. He read the word again. _Addison_. He'd seen that name before or heard it. His mind churned through the recent memories of the case. Hank's witness list stuck out, Hank had sent it over for Nick to show Holly before Nick had lost service completely.

James Addison had been the Clarks' neighbor.

Nick looked back at Monroe. "One of us needs to go back." He started for the ladder, "You stay here."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Monroe protested, "I don't think it's such a good idea to take this girl back to civilization right now. We've got to consider the ramifications."

Nick nodded, "We can't leave her in the woods, Monroe. And what are you going to do, live up here with her until she's ready to come home?" He tried to be gentle because this seemed very important to Monroe now, but the fact remained.

Monroe shook his head. "I don't think she knows what she even is right now. She could hurt somebody!"

"She could somebody up here too," Nick replied softly. "Monroe, she already has."

"He was trying to kill her, Nicky!" Monroe cried.

"I get it, Monroe, but right now she's the one who's hurt and I _cannot_ , in good conscience, leave her up here."

Monroe sighed, looking back at Holly. "This is one of those 'rock and a hard place' type things, isn't it?" He turned his head back to Nick.

Nick nodded, "I'm sorry. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Monroe nodded, leaned forward to grab Nick's sleeve just before he started down the ladder. Nick looked back up at him, quirking an eyebrow. Monroe sighed, looking into Nick's grey eyes and sighing again. He leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to Nick's forehead. "Be safe, okay? I know you're worried about other drug smugglers in the area. Don't go looking for trouble."

Nick offered a smile, "You know me, 'Roe. I don't go looking for trouble. I'll be back soon. Love you!"

And with that, Nick was down the ladder and disappearing into the tree line again. Monroe watched him go with a feeling of trepidation biting at his spine. He shook his head and sighed, hoping for Nick's safe return.

It was a few hours before anything else happened. Monroe tried to keep the girl's fever down, wetting a cloth and putting it over the girl's forehead to help. It seemed to help but, "Oh, you're burning up, kid." Just like that, he made his decision. Nick had told him to stay, but just like his lover, Monroe couldn't, in good conscience, leave the kid in pain with such a raging fever, without attempting to do something about it.

"I'm gonna get you some burdock root," he murmured to the girl. "I'll be right back, okay?"

The girl didn't respond, only groaned softly in pain.

Monroe hummed, "I'll take that as a yes." He started to move, only to stop as the girl's hand snagged his pants leg a tugged. He was quick to reassure her, "No, it's okay. It's okay, I'm coming right back." He squeezed her hand where he held it in his own. He gently set the girl's hand next to her, then rushed off.

_Grimm~Grimm~Grimm_

On the trail, Nick was rushing back down the trail to get service in hopes it would get him back to Monroe and the girl quicker. Upon stopping the vehicle and pulling out his phone, he noticed a truck parked on the side of the road. He was trying to place the truck when Hank picked up with a firm, " _Where are you?_ "

"I found her," Nick replied. "I found Holly Clark, she's alive."

There were muffled voices on the other end of the line, Hank telling whomever he was with that Nick had found Holly Clark alive.

"She's hurt, man. I'm gonna need some help out here." Nick suddenly placed where he'd seen the truck before. He'd watched in closely in Hank's rearview mirror as it followed them to the M.E.'s office. "And I've got another problem too. The Blake brothers are out here. I"m gonna go on foot to find them. One more thing. I don't know if it's important, but I found a name on one of the camp stoves where I found Holly."

" _What's the name?_ " Hank asked.

"The name's Addison," Nick replied. Then he hung up, knowing Hank would take it from there. He would take the four-wheeler no farther into the woods, dismounting and pocketing the keys. He'd be slower this way and the Blake brothers had an unknown headstart, but it would be worth it to preserve the element of surprise and Nick didn't want to risk missing them and having them follow the vehicle's tracks.

_(Hank hung up the phone and turned to Addison, "We found a name on some camping equipment where Holly was found. The name's Addison."_

_The man suddenly seemed very tense, very scared. He started begging them to keep Holy away from him, that she'd bitten him. In his fear, he tried to run away, only to be stopped by Wu, who drove him back towards Hank. He lifted his cane a swung around wildly, trying to get away from the people around him, but he was hit by Hank. Hank hit his throat, giving the officers around him enough time to restrain the stunned man._

_Addison looked up at Hank with fear beyond anything Hank had ever seen in his eyes. Hank wondered what this man could've seen when he went to kidnap a little girl that would scare him so much that he'd held onto it for so long.)_

_(The Blake brothers raced into the night, stealthy as few people could be. One of them noticed a flag and ripped it from the ground, "He died here."_

_The other shushed him and looked around as a noise hit his ears. Then he nodded and pointed ahead of them. The brothers headed that way, hoping to find what it was that the man in their cellar had mentioned. Or maybe they didn't. Either was fine with them.)_

It was dark by the time Monroe managed to dig up enough burdock root to keep the girl comfortable. He was so absorbed in his task, that he almost missed the smell of two other people joining the party. It was faint, the people being down-wind, but Monroe still caught whiffs of it. He didn't move or stop what he was doing, the girl was more important than these idiots anyway.

_Grimm~Grimm~Grimm_

Monroe climbed back into the hatch, thinking he'd lost the people in the woods. Or rather hoping he did, he wasn't sure. He held up the root, "Okay, this is burdock root." He pulled out his knife and began shaving small pieces of the root off. "You chew on it," he directed to Holly. He lifted the root to his mouth and demonstrated, "Like this." He lifted a bit of the root to Holly's lips and let her take it from him.

When she groaned and made to spit it out, Monroe stopped her, "No, no, no, I know. I know, it tastes like an old tennis shoe. I mean, not that I've eaten all that many of them. But it's good for you."

Holly looked like she'd rather face the buckshot's pain with no meds, but with trust in her eyes, she accepted the piece back.

"Okay, just nibble on it," Monroe advised softly. When she did, he smiled. "Good!" he encouraged. "There you go. It'll help with your fever." He breathed a sigh and murmured, "Holly?"

"Y-Yes?" she rasped.

"I think everything's gonna be alright."

Just then, someone shouted, "You, up there!"

Monroe froze, then whipped around to stare at the hatch.

"Come down here now!"

Holly started growling, eyes glowing red. Monroe hushed her softly.

"Maybe you can't hear us!" A gunshot and the floorboards gained a new bullet hole.

"Okay! Take it easy!" Monroe shouted back. Another bullet hole in the floor. "Okay! I'm coming down!" To Holly, he murmured, "Stay here." Back to the people down on the ground, "I'm coming down!"

With trembling hands, Monroe started over to the hatch and began down the trees, calling one last, "Shh," to Holly as he left the treehouse. He made it down to the ground as fast as he dared, thankful he wasn't afraid of heights. Two men were on the ground, guns pointed at Monroe like that would help them if this came to a full-on fight. He hit the ground and brushed the dirt off his hands. Then he turned and raised his hands again.

"We saw you digging in the woods. Right near where our brother was killed. How long you been living out here?" The brothers asked.

"Guys, we've got a misunderstanding here, okay? I was on a hike and I came across this old place."

"What were you digging for?" asked one of the brothers.

Monroe had been told once by Nick that it was better to tell half-truths when lying to a suspect while you were inexperienced. So he replied, "Well, and thank you for asking, It's called burdock root. It's a medicinal root. It's good for all kinds-"

"Why'd you kill our brother!" shouted one of the brothers.

Monroe stalled for time, "You did just hear the part about the hike?"

"I could kill you right now and it might be a mistake, but I don't think I'll lose any sleep over it."

Suddenly, the wood above them shifted and Monroe sighed, knowing Holly had heard.

One of the brothers lifted his gun and aimed it at the wooden house above them. "There's somebody else up there."

The other brother gestured to Monroe with the gun, "Who is it?"

Monroe was really wishing Nick would pop up about now, preferably with some backup. He shook his head, knowing he'd have to play dumb to protect Holly. "There's no one else up there. I'm the only person here."

One of the brothers scoffed, the other started toward the ladder. "When I find somebody up there, you blow his head off." Then he raced up the ladder.

Monroe tensed, waiting the few minutes it took for the first brother to reach the top and praying Holly had taken the hint and hid.

"It's empty," called the first brother.

Monroe relaxed.

"Wait a minute! Delmare's sleeping bag! And his coat! They're up here!" The brother came back down. He came towards Monroe, flicking open his pocket knife and putting it to Monroe's soft throat.

Monroe wasn't afraid until he heard his beloved Grimm shout, "Nobody move!"

_Grimm~Grimm~Grimm_

Nick was close enough to hear the gunshots echoing through the forest, scaring prey and predator alike away from the area. He didn't know if it was the Blake brothers who'd found the treehouse or something else, but Nick took off running in the direction the shots had come from. He got to the site just in time to see Mike Blake hold a knife to Monroe's neck.

Fear made his blood run cold, then boil hotter than anything he'd ever felt before. He aimed his gun at who he assumed was the other brother and shouted, "Nobody move!"

Mike jumped back and snapped, "Hey, this man killed our brother!"

"He had nothing to do with it," Nick snapped back. "He's my friend, he came here with me. Put your weapons on the ground now!"

"You shoot me," Mike stated, "He shoots your friend."

Nick glanced at Monroe, worried more than he'd ever let on. He glanced at Monroe, meeting his eyes to silently ask what Monroe wanted to do and if Monroe could handle something spontaneous that may get him killed. Monroe gave him an imperceptible nod, eyes flooding red to make sure Nick knew exactly what he meant but also trying to give him a warning as to what was coming.

Nick understood the first part, but his thoughts scattered when he noticed Mike move, "Stay where you are."

The footsteps came from the treeline, freaking the brothers out. They called to each other, trying to figure out where the noise was coming from and what it was. Then Rolland caught a thick mass to the chest and was yanked back. Nick took advantage of the surprise and shot Mike in the leg. He rushed over and began checking him, knowing he'd have to call for backup when he could. He'd probably end up carrying these men down the mountain if they were still alive. If not, then he'd just make the hike himself and call for backup.

He went to check on the other man, stopping when he saw the tight hug Holly Clark had Monroe in. Monroe met his eyes and Nick quirked an eyebrow. Monroe offered a smile and then turned his attention back to Holly.

Nick let him, knowing he'd get his own time to make sure Monroe was okay later on. Both men were dead, one with a broken neck and the other shot.

_Grimm~Grimm~Grimm_

_(Between getting Holly home and the lineup the next morning, Lauren Duney called to say her husband hadn't come home in two days. Police officers found him in the basement of the Blakes' home, dehydrated and malnourished, but alive. They rushed him to the hospital and the doctor expected him to make a full recovery._

_When Nick dropped by to take his statement and check on the poor guy, he found Dustin curled up with Lauren's head resting on his chest. He didn't want to wake them, so he came back later, but he was thankful that Dustin had someone to help him through this ordeal._

_God only knew what could've happened if he didn't.)_

Monroe stuck around Holly while she was recovering in the hospital, then helped her move her personal effects back to her home sans the things that had to be logged at the precinct because they were evidence. Nick was dropping Monroe off at home a few days later when she gripped Monroe's sleeve with panic in her eyes. Monroe reassured her, "Holly, remember. You're not alone."

Nick smiled, watching Monroe interact with the girl. Monroe then started out of the car, pausing at Nick's open window to add, "I'll wait up for you. Do you know when you'll be home?"

"A few hours or so. Not too long," Nick replied.

Monroe nodded. "Alright. See you soon. Love you!"

"Love you too," Nick replied, watching Monroe back away from the car.

He pulled off to head back to the precinct. They had a special task for Holly, thankful she was up for it now that she was recovered. After they reunited Holly with her mother (keeping them apart had been hard on the detectives, knowing it must be difficult for Mrs. Clark to stay away while her daughter was recovering), Nick drove all of them to the precinct the next morning.

Renard held a press conference, informing the general public that they'd found Holly Clark and other (safe) details of the case. Nick took Holly and her mother past the distracted press and into a room facing a lineup. Holly didn't hesitate, the moment she was allowed, she lifted a hand and pointed to the man who had tried to abduct her.

"She's pointing at number three," said one of the officers. James Addison stared at the glass, knowing he'd just been named by the girl he'd tried to kidnap. He glanced around, then accepted his fate as the line up filed out.

Holly watched them go, her eyes glowing bloody, victorious red.

**Author's Note:**

> (1) I'm not just implying Monroe, Rosalee, Hank, or Juliette. Fun fact: I have an entire headcanon about the universe this show is in and how it connects to other universes, like Supernatural, Venom, and Teen Wolf. I've got a story out all ready for it. The series is called Between Brothers, so if you're interested, have at it.
> 
> (2) Secondary fun fact: I headcanon for this that Nick was once mistaken for a hyper-realistic statue while he was hiding from a gunman while off duty in New York.


End file.
